The Memories of Us

November 1943, Korea

“Minyoung-ah, has Sooyoung arrived yet? She promised she’d be here today to spend time with me and the baby.” Yoona spoke, her tone soft as she cradled her daughter in her arms. The baby cooed sleepily beneath her, burying her tiny face into her mother’s chest so snug it caused a ripple of love and joy to emanate within her. Oh, how sweet is her little Minah – her (and Changmin’s, she thought with a blush) own little bundle of light and joy.

She had had to literally kick her husband out of the house and go to work before she could even find the time to have her moment of peace and quiet alone after she gave birth – but although she playfully complained for her solitude, Yoona knew very well that she was utterly blessed for her lovely daughter’s birth.  As a child she had wished for a multitude of things, but more so for a complete family she didn’t have with her Changmin had been exceptionally attentive since that day; accompanying and watching over her and their child with a gentle hand and loving (she hoped, oh she hoped) look on his face.

It was as though her dreams had come true…

Family. Friends. Security… Love. Im Yoona had it all, finally.

She kissed the little child’s forehead softly and hummed under her breath, her eyes never leaving her baby’s soft skin as her maid entered the room and bowed to her apologetically. “I’m sorry, Ma’am, but she hasn’t arrived yet. Should I call for her and ask?” Her maid said, a wrinkling crossing her forehead. Her maid, Minyoung, for as long as she had known her had always been the worrier between them but it was a trait that Yoona found endearing about her.

“It’s alright, Minyoung. I’m sure she’ll be here soon. You know how she is… always late,” The happy new mother said, nodding her head understanding. The smile perfectly etched onto her lips seemed permanent as she leaned back against her seat in content. Her fingers touched her daughter’s fingers as she slept soundly in her crib. There was hardly anything that could ruin her day at all… not even the constant lateness of her best friend could tarnish her pleasure.

Sure enough, minutes later Choi Sooyoung burst through the door, wrapping her into a hug while bustled with apologies and excited chatter. Her smile was wide across her face as she twirled her best friend around the room.

“Yoona! I’m so sorry, I’m late! I had to buy Mama some medicine but the medicine lady gave me a hard time chasing her across the market place.” She exclaimed, happily swaying her friend from side to side as she explained her tardiness. “I’m telling you, Yoona – that Madam Seonah can really run!”

“I’m sure you gave her a hard time too, Soo.” Yoona laughed as she hugged her best friend tightly before pulling away to sit back down and pat the spot beside her. Her daughter giggled during the commotion all the while, staring up at them as the two friends faced each other and grinned. Yoona wrinkled her nose and continued speaking, “You could have just asked me to help you though… I don’t mind calling Madam Seonah for auntie’s medicine.”

“Oh, and what fun would that be? I actually kind of like chasing her down the market place. It’s great exercise!” Sooyoung replied, flattening the hem of her dark blue skirt. She smiled as Yoona turned to her side for a moment, lifting her baby up into her arms as the child gurgled happily and reached for her face. Her heart warmed at the sight and she leaned her chin onto Yoona’s shoulder, making funny faces as Minah stared up at her and clapped her little hands.

Sooyoung had been worried for Yoona after her father’s sudden passing, especially knowing fully well how close they were. She had kept to herself for the first few days, staying in her room for long hours at a time and not saying a word. She knew her friend well enough to know that this was her way of coping with her sadness – by silence – and however unhealthy Sooyoung thought it was for her psyche, she didn’t bother to pull her out into the world.

Changmin, Yoona’s husband – much to Sooyoung’s pleasant surprise, had been the one to get through to her. After three full days of silence, her beautiful friend emerged from her solitude in tears – tucked under her husband’s embrace as she openly expressed her sadness under hushed whispers. It was heartwarming sight seeing her closest friend in the world give her heart to someone who was worth it. Yoona wasn’t the type of person to express her feelings explicitly, but her emotions flowed out nonetheless for him… for Changmin. Sooyoung was grateful for that… truly grateful.

“Have you two eaten? I had lunch before I left but now feel like having a bowl of kimchi stew and some prawns…” Sooyoung asked, picking up a piece of cut bread Yoona’s maids had brought out for her when she arrived. Her friend smiled serenely and nodded her head, tucking her long hair behind her ear as she spoke evenly, “I already had lunch with Changmin before he left to answer an urgent telegram. We ate a lot, didn’t we, Minah?”

The child gurgled happily in her crib and reached out to her mother, a lovely laugh bubbling out of her tiny body as she held out her small hands to the sky. Sooyoung couldn’t help but laugh at the sight, unconsciously touching her womb as Yoona picked her daughter up in her arms. She wondered vaguely if she should tell her secret, the one she’d been keeping from everyone since Kyuhyun had left to fight in the war in China. The secret they were planning to share once he’d come back… that is, if he’ll ever come back.

Lowering her gaze to the soft blue of her dress, she bit her lip as tears unknowingly welled up in her eyes. Sooyoung barely noticed the quiet in the room as her friend turned to her worriedly, rushing almost to her side as she let out soft cries.

“What’s wrong, Sooyoung?” Yoona whispered, brushing a hand past her friend’s cheek comfortingly. Her baby cooed in her arms, looking up at her aunt seriously as though she’d felt something was wrong. The touch of her soft baby skin fitting snug on her cheek made Sooyoung smile despite her tears and she let out a short laugh.

“I miss him, is all…” She said, brushing her tears away and catching Little Minah’s hand in between her fingers. The infant’s fingers wrapped around her index finger and squeezed, her big round eyes (just like her mother’s) curving and slanting one way (just like her father) in a smile. Sooyoung smiled back, her voice soft and filled with emotion. “I miss Kyuhyun so much.”

“He’ll be home soon,” Yoona reassured, laying her head onto her shoulder. She watched as her daughter seemed to calm her friend’s cries into even breaths, her little fingers wrapped protectively on an index finger, almost the very same way her own hands held her best friend close. She spoke again humorously, “He said that he would make an honest woman out of you and I intend for him to keep that promise.”

Sooyoung let out a more natural laugh this time. “He said he’d marry me in the Church where my parents took their own vows.” She sighed wistfully, a fuller smile edging her lips. Brushing a kiss onto Minah’s temple, she returned the hug her friend provided her and thanked her under her breath. “You’re right, Yoona. He will be back… he’s always kept his promise.”

Yoona nodded her head, chuckling when Minah gave a laugh of her own and pulled back to kiss her friend on the cheek. Their eyes met warmly as they always did when they were children and they remembered their silent pact from years before: to be there for one another, no matter what or when. It was a promise they’d never ever break. Never.

“Kyuhyun will be back.”

“And we’ll marry.” Sooyoung quipped with a grin.

She returned the smile. “Yes, you will. You’ll be happy.”

“Like you and Changmin?”

Yoona paused, her eyes softening at the words as they registered in her mind. Happy… yes, she was happy. She was happy with Changmin and their daughter. Very happy. Overjoyed in fact, loved. She studied the soft curves of her child’s face and the deepness of her dark eyes – eyes like her father’s – and smiled,

“Yes. Very happy.”

~*~*~*~*~

The tension in the air is as palatable as one would expect between two people who’d not seen each other for a long time. Even he, Choi Minho, felt it suffocating him in its embrace. Straining not to cast too many confused looks on either women seated across from each other, he stood motionlessly and decided to keep his gaze on a picture on the wall. They were bound to speak sooner or later, and it was not in his place to initiate anything. He was simply a witness, after all. He had no real business there except to watch for the woman who had so easily beguiled him.

Sooyoung was the first to speak up moments later, curving a soft smile onto her lips as she looked at Yoona with a sorrowful expression about her beautiful face. “You look very well, Yoona. I always told you that long hair suited you, remember?” she said in an almost whisper and striking Minho as somewhat odd as his first impression of the elegant lady was that she was a fighter and not timid.

“Yes… I remember,” Yoona replied, folding her hands in front of her and looking down at them for a moment. Her fingers trembled slightly before she stilled them fully, raising her head up once again to catch her friend’s gaze. She took note of how much more elegant Sooyoung looked now than before, with her hair swept up in a bun and her cheeks slightly blushed with life. She vaguely attributed these observations to the fact that the woman sitting across from her now was raising a boy (now playing quietly in between them, putting blocks up on top of another) and inwardly winced at the nagging suspicions that he might be Changmin’s.

She strained a smile onto her face, pursing her lips together. “I… I’m sorry I haven’t tried to contact you, Sooyoung.”

“It’s alright. Considering the circumstances you last found me in, I don’t think you would have wanted to see my face for awhile.” Sooyoung said with a wave of her hand. The smile didn’t falter, but the look she directed towards her made it difficult for Yoona to stay nonchalant.

With her hands on her lap, she turned her head slightly and motioned at her companion standing stiffly behind her. Yoona had almost forgotten about Minho being there, and for a moment she felt ashamed of herself. “This is Choi Minho by the way. He’s new in town and Mother introduced us. He’s a new friend.” She explained, introducing him. Sooyoung nodded in response and shook his hand when Minho moved to offer it.

Sooyoung knew of him, of course. Although she’d not been able to make contact with Yoona for years, the rumor mill concerning her friend had never really died down. She heard stories of blind dates Mistress Shim sent her on, and the way she’d always seemed to refuse their advances. This young man, Choi Minho, was the most recent of the setups and was said to be considerably luckier than the rest. The rumors went on to say that he could very well be her friend’s new love, but she knew it was near impossible.

Yoona had said that she would only ever really loved one person in her life when she met him. And with that promise, Sooyoung knew that she always will.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Choi. I serve some of your workers at my family’s cantina and they seem to have high praises of you. I’m glad you’re getting along well around here.” She gracefully replied, her eyes crinkling into a smile. Minho likewise returned the grin back with one of his own.

“Thank you. It was difficult at the beginning but it’s definitely gotten better now since meeting Miss Yoona.” He said, nodding his head towards Yoona’s direction; to which she regarded with an embarrassed blush on her cheeks. Eyeing her from the corner of his vision, Minho continued with a smile. “I wouldn’t have liked it so much here if it weren’t for her to be honest.”

Sooyoung nodded, smiling. “I’m sure. Yoona is an energy pill. One smile and you’ll be good to go for the whole day.” She agreed with a much chipper tone, earning herself a faint smile from her (former? Had they stopped being friends, she wondered in her mind) friend. “I used to call her ability to make things brighter ‘Yoong-Energy’.” Sooyoung added, catching Yoona’s eye almost immediately at the mention of her old nickname with a smile. There was a hint of a smile too, etched on her friend’s lips – the simple act making her feel more at ease. Somewhere, somehow, the Yoona I know is still there, she thought, biting her lip to keep from bursting into a happy shout.

“It was a silly title but eventually everyone in our class started using it too.” Yoona remarked, smiling a little at the memory. She and Sooyoung were in the same class back in primary school when her friend had coined the term. At first it had been embarrassing having classmates teasing her for having a superpower so to speak and calling her ‘Yoong-Energy’ every time things got too quiet; however, as time went on the teasing became more comfortable too. It was as if the power Sooyoung had told her she was true, that she did have an ability to make people smile. And Yoona had liked knowing this, even though she didn’t entirely believe it. It was one of her most precious childhood memories.

Her eyes strayed beyond Sooyoung and caught sight of a framed photograph behind her. She recognized it almost immediately despite the fogginess of the image. It was a picture her father had taken on their first day in secondary school. Sooyoung’s family had taken a hit financially that year and couldn’t afford sending their daughter further into her education when her father suddenly stepped up and offered to send her himself. Yoona remembered how her father had always remarked at how Sooyoung was like a second daughter to him and so he would take care of her as he took care of his own. It was that act he’d done that solidified their already tight bond to each other – they had become sisters.

But my sister betrayed me in the end, the scornful part of her mind taunted at her and Yoona’s smile faded. She fixed her gaze down to her hands and c